AP News, May 9th, 2007
A human rights group has urged the Malaysian government to disband a feared volunteer security force, saying its members are responsible for violence and numerous cases of illegal detentions, mainly against migrant workers.
The Ikatan Relawan Rakyat, known by its Malay acronym RELA, has almost half a million uniformed and armed volunteers working for it. It was set up in 1972 to maintain public order, but in recent years has primarily been used to round up illegal migrant workers in the country.
"Fully uniformed, armed, and unaccompanied by police or immigration officers, they break into migrant lodgings in the middle of the night without warrants," New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement Wednesday.
By law, RELA volunteers are allowed to make arrests, use firearms, and enter and search any premises without a warrant. They also have effective legal immunity from prosecution.
Human Rights Watch said RELA members "brutalize inhabitants, extort money, and confiscate cell phones, clothing, jewelry, and household goods, before handcuffing migrants and transporting them to detention camps for 'illegal immigrants.'"
"The government has set up what's little more than a vigilante force to target foreigners," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Given RELA's repeated abuses, it should be disbanded right away."
The government did not immediately respond to the accusations, and RELA officials were not available for comment before office hours Wednesday.
Following a public outcry over reported abuses by RELA, authorities demanded last month that a RELA team leader search members to make sure they do not steal or plant evidence. They are also not allowed to carry cell phones anymore.
